The present invention relates to adjustable clamp holders suitable for safety securing and supporting a variety of laboratory equipment.
As shown in FIG. 1, conventional clamp holders used in fastening together two support rods consist of two elements, a gripping or securing mechanism and an attachment structure. The attachment structure, also known as clamp body 10, comprises spatially separated openings by means of which the clamp can be placed directly in a desired position on a support rod, the opening 12 having a closed, grooved or V-shaped slot for receiving the support rods. Each opening of the clamp body is associated with a single securing mechanism 14. The securing mechanism typically comprises an object such as a single thumb screw or allen-type screw for fastening the attachment structure to the support rod. The openings may be in a fixed position relative to each other or they may be connected by a swivel joint. The usual practice in the art has been to construct the clamp holder in such a way that each securing mechanism is at an opposite end of the clamp holder oriented at an angle to each other. Laboratory clamp holders are typically used in the construction of laboratory frames or lattices and to secure a specific laboratory apparatus. In securing a specific laboratory apparatus, one opening of the clamp body is fastened to a supporting rod that comprises a lattice or frame and the second end is fastened to a rigid extension rod used as a supporting member for laboratory equipment. The clamp holders can be adjusted for constructing lattice works of support rods that are intended to hold a variety of items ranging from small, lightweight objects, such as glassware, to large, heavy objects, such as mechanical stirrers.
Commercially available laboratory clamp holders are manufactured from a few specific metals such as white metal, aluminum alloys and steels. Typical laboratory clamps used for holding support rods at different angles in the construction of lattices and to secure laboratory equipment are disclosed in patents, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,638,301 and 2,052,600, design patents, such as U.S. Design Pat. No. 385,484 and are known in the prior art by a variety of tradenames, such as FLEXAFRAME(copyright)and CASTALOY(copyright). Clamps of the type known prior to the present invention are illustrated in FIG. 1. Clamps of this type have been widely used and have proved to be moderately successful, however, from established laboratory safety and practice perspectives, such clamps have several key limitations and disadvantages.
Commercially available clamp holders are made of metal alloys that are relatively maleable, have limited mechanical strength and easily corrode in a laboratory environment. Commercially successful clampholders, however, are prone to corrosion and mechanical failure over a relatively short time. Moreover, there is a limited securing capability with attendant safety concerns associated with such clamps, since the clamp body possesses only a single securing mechanism for each opening of the clamp body. In cases where the clamp supports heavy objects, such as mechanical stirrers, it is difficult to safely secure the stirring apparatus for long periods of time. Loads exerted on the securing mechanism and torque associated with mechanical vibrations often compromise the securing mechanism, or in the worst case, cause complete failure of the securing mechanism or the clamp body, creating a safety hazard. Due to the maleable alloys that comprise the clamp body and the securing mechanism, there is a finite number of times the clamp is effective in securing laboratory equipment.
Safety, reliability and ease of use are important considerations with regard to a clamp holder during critical moments in a laboratory experiment. Situations frequently arise when a heavy or bulky reaction flask, containing expensive, corrosive and/or toxic reagents, has to be mechanically stirred or safely transferred from one experimental area to another, such as a vented space or within a venting hood from a heating bath to a cooling medium. Success or failure can be governed by the manner with which a scientist, engineer or skilled technician can work safely and efficiently with the secured apparatus. Additionally, the introduction of syringes, delivery of reagents, cooling or heating baths, hoses, and stands to a secured apparatus during the course of a single reaction requires considerable dependence of the securing system of clamps to carry out a safe and efficient experiment. The safe and successful performance of secured apparatus is further hampered by difficulties in the ease of manipulation of the clamps. Clearly, there is a need for a clamp holder that can secure and release an object such as a reaction flask, safely and effectively and that provides an efficient and safe securing means for supporting laboratory equipment.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a clamp holder having a plurality of securing mechanisms in each opening of the clamp body for securing support rods to the clamp body.
It is an object of this invention to provide a clamp holder which has numerous advantages over existing clamps
It is another object of this invention to provide a clamp holder which permits the safe and efficient fastening and securing of supporting rods for the construction of a framework or lattice.
It is another object of this invention to provide a clamp holder which permits the safe and efficient fastening and securing of laboratory equipment.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a clamp holder which can be manufactured with mechanically stronger and safer materials.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a clamp holder from which the clamped object can be secured or released using only one hand or may be easily handled or adjusted by a single person.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a clamp holder for holding securely one or more objects of a variety of shapes, weights and sizes.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a clamp holder which can be easily secured to an existing lattice and allows for the easy adjustment of the vertical or horizontal displacement in space of the object it secures.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a useful relatively lightweight, durable, inexpensive clamp that is resistant to corrosion.
The inventors have surprisingly discovered a functional clamp holder which satisfies all the above objects of this invention. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.